Said the Gramophone: Runners-Up: Wonderful Video Contest Winners

February 25, 2008

Runners-Up: Wonderful Video Contest Winners

wonderful video contest

Ladies and gentlemen, boys & girls, I am delighted to be today announcing the second installment of winners in the Wonderful Video Contest. We asked our readers to create movies they love for songs they love, and well more than a hundred films got thrown our way. Our first batch of favourites was posted last week, the Top 5 will be shared a week from today, but right now, right here, here are four more of the most remarkable submissions.

As Dan said last week, the comments today aren't for us, they're for the filmmakers, so please tell them what you think, because they would love it. You would love it too.

9. Orillia Opry - "I Lied"
video by Dan Woodward
dan @ ajisignal.com

The moon landing as Sunday drive. It's only a matter of moments before you put aside your expectations for what a video of "I Lied" would look like and become swept right up in the ambling (CG machines have never felt so "ambling" to me!) aesthetic of this piece. As soon as the cymbal crashes in that plume of the rocket's wake, you know there's no looking back. I like to imagine two things when I watch this: a) that getting to the moon is an achievement better set to heartfelt strumming folk than to giant orchestral booming, and b) that in the last shot that capsule is empty, and the people have decided to stay, or pressed "go" by accident when they weren't inside. (awarded Secret City prizepack, Madame Tutli-Putli DVD)

8. The Knife - "Still Light" (Little Forest)
video by Rinee Shah
rinee.shah @ gmail.com

The world of this video is strange and terrifying, with its own slow & scary logic. The bears have lights in their eyes, the roots weave webs, and when a girl wakes she finds herself alone. A tree falls in the forest and we don't hear a single sound - we're suspended in a different moment, during & before, and only later do we discover the damage. Is it still light outside? The Knife ask, and you can imagine Rinee dreaming this world straight through to dawn. (awarded Vice Records and Young God prizepacks, Madame Tutli-Putli DVD)

7. Devendra Banhart - "Dragonflys"
video by Eric Portis
eric.portis @ gmail.com

Devendra Banhart's song is just fifty seconds long, but Eric Portis uses those fifty seconds even more finely than Devendra does. When the video literally rises into its final moment, when the song sings its title & everything makes a beautiful, incandescent sense, we're in a place of caught breath and small majesty. We're in a paradise, really; one that's hand made. (That means it's a paradise we too could make with these hands.) Actually breathtaking. (prize tbd)

6. Woodhands - "Can't See Straight"
video by 47 Friends
timothy.moore @ gmail.com

I could write an essay on this one. I'll try to keep it short, but just believe me that I get overwhelmed when I watch this video. The storytelling is executed in such a way that it's exciting to figure out what's going on, the filmmaker creates little mysteries, makes it exhilarating to watch, and watch, and watch. Nothing is a mistake, every shot, every action, has a purpose. Which is a credit to the performers; a stark but fascinating intermingling of harsh clowning and realist sincerity. A quasi-hopeful picture of how art can take over, ruin, or give meaning to, your life.

We contacted Daniel Werb from Woodhands, and he loves it:

"Tim Moore's video is absolutely fantastic and we can't stop talking about it over here. Not only are we honoured that Tim would chooseour song 'Can't See Straight' as a basis for his video, but it's amazing how he and his crew have managed to tease out a great story from thesong's brief lyrics. It all fits together so well and manages to stay true to the emotional kernel of the song. We're super stoked."
(awarded 4AD prizepack, Madame Tutli-Putli DVD)

So that is this week. Next Monday: our 5 stupendous & favourite videos.

Posted by Sean at February 25, 2008 12:37 AM

Comments

That Can't See Straight video is probably the best video I have seen in a long time. I mean it; really fun to watch.

Posted by: mike at February 25, 2008 1:20 AM

I love the “Dragonflys” video, especially the ending shot when the camera moves away. I feel this one is most in harmony with the song used of the contestants so far. I prefer music videos like this, no big storyline or anything, just try to capture in film the atmosphere of the song, whatever you see when you close your eyes while listening to it for the first time. Well done! I feel that the "Still Light" video did a good job on this as well.

Hats off to all the other submissions too!

Posted by: Bubbachups at February 25, 2008 6:23 AM

Oh my lord, all of those are so fantastic!! Congratulations!

Posted by: Ainsley at February 25, 2008 11:50 AM

Wow, great videos. Kudos to everyone who put the time into creating something entertaining.

The Dragonfly vid is indeed a good one.

Interesting that all five filmmakers used Vimeo to host their videos.

Posted by: Patrick Woodward at February 25, 2008 12:13 PM

...all four, not five filmmakers:)

Posted by: Patrick Woodward at February 25, 2008 12:20 PM

Incredible, especially the Woodhands video & the Dragonfly one. Really, really spectacular.

Posted by: Jo at February 25, 2008 1:00 PM

Great work Eric. Sean hit it on the head, breathtaking. I've never realized how musically similar Bandhart is to Vincent Gallo. You've bridged a gap for me.

Posted by: Tim at February 25, 2008 1:40 PM

more people would tune in to shuttle launches if they were set to heartfelt strumming. dan woodward has convinced me of that

they're all excellent. eric portis' reminds me of all those old kids tv shows I used to watch, where strange things moved and seemed to sing even though they had no mouths

Posted by: Beth at February 25, 2008 3:21 PM

Haxan anyone?

these are fabulous.

Posted by: Harry at February 25, 2008 7:10 PM

Haxan anyone?

these are fabulous.

Posted by: Harry at February 25, 2008 7:10 PM

I love them all: #9's spinning space machines, #8's headlit bear, #7's moment of glory, and #6's pair who just want to please one another. Great job and bravo to all.

Posted by: zh at February 25, 2008 11:06 PM

Hey guys,
A facebook group is started for peeps who like Said the Gramophone. It is called "Said the Gramophone appreciation circle". You can find it here:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8151717234

I also wanted to add that the videos so far have been amazing. I am looking forward to next week. And I hope there will be more contests like this one in the future.

Posted by: (Maryam) at February 25, 2008 11:59 PM

i love the knife one. also, i dont think i said this before, but your new banner is beautiful stg!

Posted by: jo at February 26, 2008 5:01 PM

I really hope that there will be an Andrew Bird video.

Posted by: gav at February 26, 2008 6:10 PM

"i lied" was so simple and perfect.

"dragonflys" was emotionally overwhelming in the best possible way.

Posted by: rae marie at February 26, 2008 10:44 PM

can someone please shed some light on the "can't see straight" video? i am utterly confused.

what is the story?

Posted by: d at February 27, 2008 5:09 PM

I think the reference is to Michelangelo and how he used to sneak into the church of Santo Spirito and secretly study anatomy by cutting open cadavers.

Posted by: Diana at March 3, 2008 6:52 PM